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The recent switch to Manchester United saw Cristiano Ronaldo return to the Premier League after a 12-year absence. Over the years, the Portuguese legend has gone on to win everything club football has to offer, with 33 distinguished titles to his name. In addition to the sumptuous number of accolades, Cristiano Ronaldo also gained some valuable experience by playing alongside the best of the lot.
Some notable teammates of Cristiano Ronaldo
Donning the prestigious jersey of Real Madrid for nine years, the prolific forward was awarded the chance to play with some legends of the game. During his stint in Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo got to share the locker room with the likes of Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Raul, among others.
However, his initial venture into the top five European leagues began with Manchester United back in 2003, with Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes by his side. His elongated and illustrious career has also seen him play ball at the Allianz Stadium for Italian giants Juventus. During the said tenure, Cristiano Ronaldo was fortunate to have Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini as his acquaintances.
In hindsight, Cristiano Ronaldo has had the cream of footballing royalties to call him a teammate. Over the years, the 36-year-old goal-machine also got the chance to play with some legendary attackers. With this notion in mind, let's take a look at five of the best forwards who have partnered Cristiano Ronaldo at club level:
#5 Carlos Tevez (Manchester United)
Currently a free agent at the ripe old age of 37, Carlos Tevez was once feared by all the Premier League defences due to his exceptional goal-scoring prowess. Despite the erratic Argentine only spending two years with the club on loan, he was successful in establishing a formidable partnership with the Manchester United attackers.
In a fabled forward trio that also included Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, Tevez still managed to stand out. He combined with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner in 80 games, amounting to approximately 5,000 minutes on the pitch.
The duo were instrumental in establishing United's supremacy on the domestic and European front. Their partnership was cut short after just two seasons when Tevez decided to join cross-town rivals Manchester City in one of the most controversial transfers ever.
#4 Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United)
Considered to be one of the best forwards during his spell with Manchester United, Ruud van Nistelrooy joined the English giants in 2001 for a sizeable fee of €28.5 million. However, the Dutch striker inexplicably left the club in 2006 to join forces with Real Madrid.
Therefore, he only got to spend three years alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford. Nevertheless, the duo did not need much time to adapt to each other's style of play, as reflected by their extraordinary attacking output and number of titles.
In 91 appearances together, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy combined to produce 14 goals. Following the Portugal international's record-breaking switch to Real Madrid in 2009, the duo were reunited for a span of six months.
Also read: 5 Ballon d'Or nominees from obscure nations in the 21st century
#3 Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid's top creator for four years, Angel Di Maria was partly responsible for Cristiano Ronaldo's insane goal tally at the Bernabeu. Bought from Benfica for €33 million, Di Maria arrived in the Spanish capital one year after the Portuguese's signing.
Cementing his position on the right flank, the Argentine dribbler became an integral part of a high-flying Real Madrid side. During their four years together in Spain, the duo played an impressive 166 games together, terrorizing opponents in almost every other match.
Known for his astounding crossing ability, Di Maria used to lay out killer balls inside the opposition's box, only for a charging Cristiano Ronaldo to bury them into the net. The duo combined to produce 28 goals during their spell at Real Madrid, making it a memorable partnership for Los Blancos' fans.
#2 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Following his rise to prominence after making a switch to Manchester United in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo became part of a lethal offensive line at Old Trafford. He was deployed on the left flank, with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez leading United's attack.
While Cristiano Ronaldo was brought to England in 2003, his partner in crime, Rooney made a €37 million switch to United from Everton a year later. Since then, the duo established a formidable partnership, playing a whopping 206 games together in just five seasons.
During their stay, Ronaldo and Rooney fired Manchester United to three Premier League titles and a solitary Champions League win in 2008. The partnership came to an end in 2009, when the legendary Portuguese decided to make a switch to an all-star Real Madrid team.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
The undisputed top-choice for this list, Karim Benzema has partnered with Cristiano Ronaldo for as many as 342 matches. The duo were an integral part of one of the most rampant Champions League teams in the history of the competition, achieving victory on four occasions, side by side.
Bought by Los Blancos during their insane spending spree of 2009, Benzema arrived at the Bernabeu just three days after the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo. Over the next nine years, the two mercurial forwards went on to create a fabled legacy in Spain, achieving several accolades together.
They are one of the most productive attacking duos of the modern generation. While Cristiano Ronaldo chose to abandon the ship in 2018, Benzema is still going strong with Real Madrid, having scored eight goals so far this season.
Considering the forwards Ronaldo has played with, his partnership with Benzema easily stands out from the rest.
Also read: 5 La Liga records that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi failed to break
